Internal-combustion engine.



E. R. OLSEN.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGiNE.

APPUCATION men AUG.20. mu.

1,266,849. Patented May 21, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR. fPNEST AP. Ol JEN WITNESSES E. R. OLSEN.

INIERNAL comausnowsnsms.

APPLHZA'HOH FILED AUG.20| I91?- 1 ,Q66,819. Patented May 21, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR.

ERNEST 9.01.05

WITNESSES Ma A TTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST R. OLSEN, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 GEORGE WILLIAMOLSEN, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed August 20, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennnsr R. OLSEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city and county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-CombustionEngines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines.

The objects of this invention are:

First, to provide in an internal combos tion engine an improved cylinderstructure.

Second, to provide an internal combustion engine having an internalrotary cylinder sleeve member constituting a valve and which may beremoved and inserted from the outer end of the cylinder without removingthe piston.

bird, to provide an engine of the rotary valve sleeve type which issimple in structure, economical to manufacture and efficient inoperation.

Fourth, to provide an internal combustion engine of the type describedin which the crank shaft makes a plurality of revolutions to a singlerevolution of the sleeve valve.

Fifth, to provide an internal combustion engine of the type described,with means for admitting steam to the cylinders thereof during eachintake stroke of the pistons.

Sixth, to provide novel means utilizing the heat of the exhaust forsupplying steam to said cylinders.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of m invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the following specification. The invention is clearlydefined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompan ing drawing forming a part of this specication, in which:

Figure I is a side elevation of a structure embodying the features of myinvention.

Fig. II is a detail horizontal section there-- of showing thearrangement of the ports and passa es.

Fi II is an elevation of the side opposite that shown in Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a vertical transverse section Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Serial No. 187,196.

on a line corresponding to line 4 1 of Fig. II.

*ig. V is a detail vertical transverse section on a line correspondingto line 55 of Fig. II.

Fig. VI is a detail vertical transverse sect on on a line correspondingto the broken lines 66 of Figs. I and II, portions of the cylinder headbeing broken away.

Fig. VII is an enlarged detail section on a line corresponding to line7*? of Fig. VI.

ig. VIII is a detail end elevation of my improved engine portions beingbroken away, and the gear case shown in section.

Fig. IX is an enlarged detail section showing the driving connectionsbetween the worm shaft and sleeve valves.

Fig. X is an enlarged detail section taken on a line corresponding toline 10-10 of Figs. IV and IX.

Fig. XI is a detail horizontal section similar to Fig. II of a modifiedembodiment of my invention.

Fig, XII is a vertical transverse section taken on a line correspondingto line 1%1-2 of Fig. XI.

Fig. XIII is a side elevation of a portion of the combined exhaust,steam, and intake manifold, taken in the direction of the arrows 13-13of Fig. XI.

Fig. XIV is a partial end elevation of the base of my improved engineshowing the connections between the crank shaft and the worm shaft foractuating the sleeve valves, a portion of the gearing housing beingbroken away.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken lookingin the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, my improved engine comprises the base 1, whichmay have any suitable contour and is provided with a manhole having theclosure 2 therefor.

The cylinders 3 are, in the embodiment illustrated, formed integral withthe upper portion of the base and are surrounded by a water jacket 4,which is also formed integral therewith. The cylinders 3 are formed inpairs connected by the webs 5.

The internal cylinder sleeves or valve members 6 are rotatably mountedwithin the cylinders o. 'lhecylinders and valve menibcrs are providedwith coacting shoulders. as indicated at 7 in Fig. IV, whereby the valvemembers are rotatably supported in the cylinders. The lower ends of thevalve members project from the lower ends of the cylinders and areprovided with gear teeth 8, which are ei'igaged by the threads of theworms 9 on the worm shaft 10. The worms for each pair of cylinders arepitched in opposite directions, as indicated in Figs. IX and X, so as todrive the sleeve valves of each pair of cylinders in oppositedirections.

The worm shaft 10 is provided with a pinion 11 which meshes with anidler 12 driven by a gear 13 on the crank shaft 14, so that the cylindersleeve members are driven in synchronism with the movements of the crankshaft.

The pistons 15 reciprocate in the sleeve members 6 and are connected bymeans of pit-men 16 with the crank shaft. Each of the members (i isprovided with three inlet ports 17. which lie in the same plane and areuniformly spaced. Each cylinder is provided with a pair of inlet ports18 and 18 respectively. The inlet ports 18 and 18' are connected bymeans of passages, formed integral with the cylinders and water jacket.with the intake manifold 19, the intake ports 18 being connected withthe manifold by means of a comn'ion passage, as shown in Fig. II. Theinlet ports 18 and 13' are spaced apart an angular distance equal to thespacing of the ports 17 in the sleeve valves, whereby two of the ports17 may register with the ports 18 and 18 simultaneously.

Each cylinder 3 is also provided with a pair of exhaust ports 20, whichare spaced apart an angular distance equal to the angu lar spacing ofthe ports 17 of the valve member.

Ihe ratio of the gearing between the crank shaft 14 and valve members 6is such that the former makes six revolutions to a single revolution ofthe latter. This means that the engine will perform three completecycles during each revolution of the valve member. The intake ports 18and 18 are, therefore, spaced from the adjacent port 20 substantiallythirty degrees.

I also provide means for admittin steam to the cylinder during thelatter part of each intake stroke. This means comprises the ports 21.which are so located that they register with one of the sleeve valveports 17 during the latter part of each intake stroke. These ports areconnected by means of passages, cast integral with the water jacket,with the steam manifold 22.

For supplying steam to the man fold 22 I provide a steam boiler 23,which is separate from, but supported upon, the exhaust manifold. thebottom wall of the boiler being conformed to the contour of the exhaustmanifold in order to insure ellicient heat transmission.

In order to provide for more etlicicnt heating of the water in theboiler 23 I provide a circulation tube 24-. one end of which isconnected with the lower side of the boiler and the other end of whichis connected to the up ier side of the boiler. an intermediate portionof the circulation tube passing through the exhaust manifold, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. VI, and in dotted lines in Fig. I.

To provide for a greater evaporative power, the surface of that portionof the circulation tube which passes through the exhaust manifold may beincreased in any desirable manner. A steam dome 25 com municates withthe boiler 23 and receives the steam therefrom. A pipe 26 leads from thesteam dome 25 to the steam manifold 22, a ortion of the pipe passingthrough the cylinder head 27. as shown in Figs. HI and VI.

The cylinder heads are formed of a single hollow integral body memberhaving the depressions 28 therein for receiving the spark plugs.Depending annular flanges 25) at the lower side of the cylinder headcoact with corresponding grooves in the top of the cylinder walls toform a tight joint between the cylinder and the cylinder head. Thebottom of the cylinder head is also provided with apertures opening intothe water jacket.

The outer peripheries of the sleeve valves are provided with crossedspiral. grooves '30 for receiving lubricating oil under pressure. Theoil is supplied through the passage ways 31 and the lubrication manifold32. The oil is supplied under pressure and there fore works along thespiral grooves 30-.

The lower end of the intake conduit 33 is formed with branches 34 and 35which lead to the carbureters 36 and 37, respectively. One carbureter isdesigned for the use of the heavier distillates, such as kerosene, andthe other is intended to be used. with the lighter or more volatiledistilla'tes. Butterfly valves 38 are mounted in each of the branches 34and 35 and are operated by means of the cranks 39 and the rods 40connected thereto.

.It is believed that the operation of my improved engine will beapparent from the above description.

Referring to Fig. II. the valve nieinlyiers. starting with. the lefthand cylinder and continuing toward the right. are shown in firing.compression. exhaust and intake positions, respectively. Referring tothe right hand cylinder, it will be seen that before the completion ofthe intake stroke of the piston in this cylinder the valve port 17 willregister with the steam port 21, there by admitting steam to thecylinder during the latter part of the intake stroke.

By providing a )lurality of intake and exhaust ports in l e cylinder andvlalve members, the explosive charges are readily drawn into thecylinder and the exhaust gases encounter little resistance to theirexpulsion. therefrom, and, by providing means for applying a suitablequantity of steam to the cylinder during the intake stroke thevaporization and combustion of the fuel is rendered more efficient anddeposition of carbon upon the cylinder walls largely prevented.

By providing the two carbureters and the butterfly valve 38 the morevolatile fuels inay'be used for starting the engine, and then. byproperly manipulating the butter fly valve 38 the engine may be run uponthe heavier fuels.

By providing shoulders upon the sleeve valves which coact with theshoulders 4 of the cylinders, and by cutting the gear teeth 8 in thelower edge of the sleeve valves, I provide means whereby they may bequickly and easily removed through the top of the cylinder withoutdisturbing the pistons and their connections with, the crank shaft.

In the modified embodin'ient of my invention disclosed in Figs. XI toXIV inclusive, I have illustrated a construction in which the crankshaft is designed to make four revolutions to each revolution of thesleeve valve. In order to secure this result I have provided the valvemembers 6 with oppositely disposed ports 17 which simultaneouslyregister with the inlet ports 18 and 18, or the exhaust ports 20 and 20twice during each revolution of the valve member. The arrangement of theinlet ports and the exhaust ports in this embodiment of my invention isthe same as that in the embodiment previously described, except that theinlet ports are spaced slightly from the exhaust ports. In thismodification of my invention the inlet and exhaust manifolds are formedintegrally, as in the embodiment first described, and this combinedmanifold is provided with additional passages 211 which are connectedwith the steam manifold 22 by means of branched conduits 22", theopposite ends of the steam passages 21 discharging into steam conduits2.1 that are formed integral with the cylinder casting, and dischargeadjacent the intake ports 18, these steam ports being spaced relative tothe intake ports 18 in such a manner that they disel-iargc into thecylinders during the latter portions of the intake strokes of thepistons. The steam manifold 22 may receive its steam supply from a steamboiler similar to that described above or from any other suitablesource.

The gears 11, 12 l3 and the Worm wheel 8' and worm 9' should be sodesigned that the sleeve valve (3 will make lour revolutions to eachrevolution of the crank shaft 1 l.

While I have ilh'lslrated and described two embodiments of my invention,1 desire it to be understood that my invention is capable of other:ulaplations and modilicw lions falling within the scope of the Ill)pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what ill claim as new and desire tosecure by Iiil tors Patent is 1. In an internal col'nbustion engine, thecombination of a plurality of internally shouldered cylinders eachprovided with pairs of alternating intake ports and exhau t ports and asteam inlet port lying in the same plane, rotatable internal 'alve men1bers shouldered to court with the shoulders of said cylinders anddisposed to project from the inner ends thereof and provided with wormteeth on their projecting ends. said valve members being provided withthree uniformly spaced valve ports lying in the plane of said cylinderports and adapted to be brought into register therewith as the valvemembers rotate, the pairs of cylinder intake and exhaust ports beingspaced uniforn'ily with said alve ports, the steam ports of thecylinders being positioned so that one of the valve member portsregister therewith during each intake stroke, steam delivery connectionsto said steam inlet ports, pistons reciprocating in said valve members,a crank shaft, a worm shaft provided with worms coacting with the wormgears of said valve members, and driving connections between said wormand crank shafts.

2. In an internal combustion engine. the combination of a plurality ofcylinders each provided with pairs of alternating intake ports andexhaust ports and a steam inlet port lyin in the same plane, rotatableinternal valve members disposed to project from the inner ends thereofand provided with worm teeth on their projecting ends, said valvemembers being provided with three uniformly spaced alve ports lying inthe plane of said cylinder ports and adapted to be brought into registertherewith as the valve members rotate, the pairs of cylinder intake andexhaust ports being spaced uniformly with said valve ports, the steamports of the cylinders being positioned so that one of the valve memberports registers therewith during each intake stroke, steam deliv eryconnections to said steam inlet ports, pistons reciprocating in saidvalve members, a crank shaft, a worm shaft provided with worms coactingwith the worm gears of said valve members. and driving connectionsbetween said worm. and crank shafts.

3. In an internal combustion engine. the combination of a plurality ofinternally shouldered cylinders each provided with pairs of alternatingintake ports and exhaust ports and a steam inlet port lying in the sameplane, rotatable internal valve members shouldered to eoact with theshoulders of said cylinders and said valve members being provided withthree uniformly spaced valve ports lying in the plane of said cylin derports and adapted to be brought into register therewith as the valvemembers r4 tale, the pairs of cylinder intake and exhaust ports beingspaced uniformly with said valve ports, the steam ports of the cylindersbeing positioned so that one of the valve member ports registerstherewith during each intake stroke, steam delivery connections to saidsteam inlet ports, and pistons reciprocating in said valve members.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a plurality ofcylinders each provided with pairs of alternating intake ports andexhaust ports and a steam inlet port lying in the same plane, rotatableinter nal valve members, said valve members being provided with threeuniformly spaced valve ports lying in the plane of said cylinder portsand adapted to be brought into register therewith as the valve membersro' tate, the pairs of cylinder intake and exhaust ports being spaceduniformly with said valve ports, the steam ports of the cylinders beingpositioned so that one of the valve member ports registers therewithduring each intake stroke, steam delivery connections to said steaminlet ports, and pistons reciprocating in said valve members.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a plurality ofcylinders each provided with pairs of alternating intake ports andexhaust ports and a steam inlet port lyin in the same plane, rotatablein ternal va *e members, said valve members being provided with threeuniformly spaced valve ports lying in the plane of said cylinder portsand adapted to be brought into register therewith as the valve membersrotate, the pairs of cylinder intake and exhaust ports being spaceduniformly with said valve ports, the steam ports of the cylinders beingpositioned so that one of the valve member ports registers therewithduring each intake stroke, exhaust and intake manifolds formedintegrally and having a wall in common whereby the intake manifold isheated, a steam generating boiler disposed in coacting relation withsaid exhaust manifold to be heated thereby, steam delivery connectionsfrom said boiler to said steam inlet ports, and pistons reciprocating insaid valve members.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combinatign of an internallyshouldered cylinder provided with pairs of alternating intake ports andexhaust ports and a steam inlet port lying in the same plane, arotatable internal valve member shouldered to enact with the shoulder ofsaid cylinder and disposed to project from the inner end thereof, saidvalve member being provided ,with three uniformly spaced valve portslying in the plane of said cylinder ports and adapted to be brought intoregister therewith as the valve member rotates, the pairs of cylinderintake and exhaust ports being spaced uniformly with said valve ports,the steam port being positioned so that one of the valve member portsregisters therewith during each intake stroke, a steam deliveryconnection to said steam inlet port, a piston reciprocating in saidvalve member, a crank shaft, and a driving connection between the innerend of said valve members and said crank shaft.

7. In'an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderprovided with pairs of alternating intake ports and exhaust ports and asteam inlet port lying in the same plane, a rotatable internal valvemember disposed to project from the inner end thereof, said valve memberbeing provided with three uniformly spaced valve ports lying in theplane of said cylinder ports and adapted to be brought into registertherewith as the valve member rotates, the pairs of cylinder intake andexhaust ports being spaced uniformly with said valve ports, the steamport being positioned so that one of the valve member ports registerstherewith during each intake stroke, a steam delivery connection to saidsteam inlet port, a piston reciprocating in said valve member, a crankshaft, and a driving connection between the inner end of said valvemember and said crank shaft.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderprovided with pairs of alternating intake ports and exhaust ports and asteam inlet port lying in the same plane, a rotatable internal valvemember, said valve member being provided with three uniformly spacedvalve ports lying in the plane of said cylinder ports and adapted to bebrought into register therewith as the valve member rotates, the pairsof cylinder intake and exhaust ports being spaced uniformly with saidvalve ports, the steam port being positioned so that one of the valvemember ports registers therewith during each intake stroke, a steamdelivery connection to said steam inlet port, and a piston reciprocatingin said valve member.

9. In aniinternal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderprovided with pairs of alternating intake ports and exhaust ports and asteam inlet port lying in the same plane, a rotatable internal valvemember, said valve member being provided with three uniformly spacedvalve ports lying in the plane of said cylinder ports and adapted to bebrought into register therewith as the valve member rotates, the pairsof cylinder intake and exhaust ports being spaced uniformly with saidvalve ports, the steam port being positioned so that one of the valvemember ports registers therewith during each intake stroke, an exhaustand intake manifold having a wall in. common whereby the intake manifoldis heated, a steam gt-inerating boiler disposed in reacting relationwith said exhaust manifold to be heated thereby, a steam deliveryconnection from said boiler to said steam inlet port and a pistonreciprocating in said valve member.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderprovided with a pair of intake ports and a pair of exhaust portsalternating with each other, a steam inlet port disposed in the sameplane, a rotatable internal valve member provided with three portsspaced so as to successively register with said intake and exhaustports, said steam inlet port being positioned so that one of said valveports registers therewith during the intake stroke, means for supplyingsteam to said steam port, a piston, a crank shaft, and drivingconnections between said c ank shaft and said valve member.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderprovided with a pair of intake ports and a pair of exhaust portsalternating with each other. a steam inlet portdisposed in the sameplane, a rotatable internal valve member provided with three portsspaced so as to successively register with said intake and exhaustports, said steam inlet port being positioned so that one of said valveports register therewith during the intake stroke, means for supplyingsteam to said steam port, a piston, and driving connections between saidcrank shaft and said valve member.

12. In a structure of the class described, the combination with acylinder, of a sleeve valve member rotatably mounted in said cylinderand provided with a plurality of ports for successively admittingexplosive charges to said cylinder and conveying the exhaust gasestherefrom, a piston reciproeating in said cylinder, said cylinder alsobeing provided with ports coacting with the ports of said valve member,and a steam inlet port positioned so as to successively register withsaid valve ports during the intake stroke, and means for supplying steamto said inlet port.

13. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder,of a sleeve valve member rotatably mounted therein and provided with aplurality of ports, said cylinder being provided with alternate intakeand exhaust ports and a steam inlet port adapted to register with saidvalve ports, a piston reciprocating in said sleeve valve, the said steaminlet port being positioned so as to register With the ports in saidvalve sleeve during the intake strokes of said piston, and means forsupplying steam to said steam port.

14'. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderprovided with inlet and exhaust ports and passages, of an intakemanifold and an exhaust manifold communicating with said intake andexhaust passages respectively, and having a heat transmitting wall incommon, of a sleeve valve rotatably mounted in said cylinder, the saidcylinder and valve being providcd with coacting ports for successivelyadmitting explosive charges, and steam to said cylinder and thendischarging the exhaust gases, means for supplyin steam to said steamport comprising a boi or heated by the exhaust gases passing throughsaid exhaust manifold, and means for alternately suppl *ing light orheavy fuels to said intake mani old.

15. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinderprovided with inlet and exhaust ports and passages, of an intakemanifold and an exhaust manifold communicating with said intake andexhaust passages respectively, and having a heat transmitting wall incommon, of a sleeve valve rotatably mounted in said cy1- inder, the saidcylinder and valve being provided with coacting ports for successivelyadmitting explosive charges and steam to said cylinder, and thendischarging the exhaust gases, means for supplying steam to said steamport, and means for sumnlying fuel to said intake manifold.

16. In a structure of the class described, the combination with aplurality of integrally formed cylinders, each having an innular groovein the end wall thereof, of a common cylinder head for said cylinderscomprising a hollow body member having a flat bottom which formsclosures for the ends of said cylinders, the said bottom being providedwith a plurality of annular flanges cooperating with said annulargrooves to form tight joints and with a plurality of aperturescommunicating with said water jacket, the said head being pro vided withdepressions having apertured bottom walls for receiving spark plugs.

17. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderfaced on one Side to receive a manifold and provided with two pairs ofalternating inlet and exhaust ports and with two pairs of substantiallystraight inlet and exhaust passages for said ports disposed side by sideand opening in said face, said pairs of passages having a heattransmitting wall in common, a rotatable internal valve member providedwith three ports lying in the plane of said cylinder ports and spaced sothat two of them coact siinhllanemlslv with said inlet or said exhaustports, a piston reeiproeatiiw' in said valve member, a crank shaft, anddriving connections between said valve member and crank shaft.

18. In an internal combustion. engine, the combination of a cylinderfaced on one side to receive a manifold and provided with two pairs ofalternating inlet and exhaust ports and with two pairs of inlet andexhaust passages for said ports disposed side by side and opening insaid face, a rotatable internal valve member provided With three portslying in the plane of said cylinder ports and spaced so that two of themcoact simultaneously With said inlet or said eX- haust ports, a pistonreciprocatin in said valve chamber, a crank shaft, (1115 drivinconnections between said valve member an crank shaft.

19. In an internal combustion engine, the combination oi a cylinderprovided With two pairs of alternating inlet and exhaust ports lying inthe same plane, and a sleeve valve rotatalily mounted on said cylinderand provided with three ports, each eoacting, during two succeedingcycles, With the respective pairs of cylinder ports and beingfunctionally inactive during the third cycle.

20. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderprovided with messes pairs of alternating intake and exhaust ports lyingin the same plane, and substantially direct inlet and exhaust passagesformed in said cylinder disposed side by side in the plane of the portsand opening on the same side of the cylinder, and a rotatable internalvalve member provided with valve ports lying in the plane of saidcylinder pelts and adapted to be simultaneously brought into registerwith the intake or the exhaust ports as the valve member rotates.

21. In an internal combustion engine, the coml'iination of a cylinderfaced on one side to receive a manifold and provided with two pairs ofalternating inlet and exhaust ports and with two pairs of direct inletand exhaust passages for said ports openin in said face, and a rotatableinternal va 've member provided with three ports lying in the plane ofsaid cylinder ports and spaced so that two of them coact simulta neouslywith said inlet or said exhaust ports.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presenceof two Witnesses.

ERNEST R. OLSEN. [as] \Vitnesses EARL BOURDO, FRANK MURRAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). c."

